I agree about needing the depth and the sturdiness.  I think a paddling pool would be too shallow for you to gain any real benefit.  Plus I certainly put a lot of pressure on the sides and I don't think a paddling pool would have held my weight.  The birthing pool was definitely worth the money.

thank you ladies.

You need the extra depth of a birthing pool & the thickness of the sides to be sturdy enough to lean on plus that helps the water retain the warmth for longer! Also they usually come with the pump to empty it & all the bits you need, hth xx

I think you're better using a proper birthing one as the sides need to be sturdy enough for you to lean on and also maybe for you birth partner/midwife to lean on too. Some of the kiddie ones might buckle.

ok so i know it's probably gonna sound silly and was asked before,but do you really have to have the special birthing pool?or can you just use  a kiddie type pool if it's large enough?